The Singapore Internet Exchange (SGIX) promotes efficient interconnectivity for the Internet in Singapore by providing a central, carrier-neutral point for traffic exchange.
It also seeks to attract regional and international carriers to use Singapore as a media hub for Internet traffic and to encourage content providers to host their content in Singapore, hence encouraging the growth of data centres here. The Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore, now IMDA, proposed to establish a neutral Internet exchange, the Singapore Internet Exchange (SGIX), to strengthen Singapore's position as an infocomm hub.
About SGIX
SGIX was incorporated on 4 Sep 09 with 11 founding members from all levels of the industry, including the domestic telecoms carriers, international telecoms carriers, Internet service providers, and content and games providers.
SGIX operates as a not-for-profit organisation and offers its services on a cost recovery basis. The equal and shared ownership of the SGIX facilitates self-regulation by the members that ensures the Internet exchange aligns to the members' interests and fair treatment of the members. SGIX first Extraordinary General Meeting was held on 23 Oct 09 and elected its First Board of Directors. As of September 2012, SGIX has 26 members.
On 15 June 10, SGIX launched its services with two operational Internet exchange nodes located at the data centres in Global Switch and 1-Net Singapore.
Objectives
SGIX will seek to promote efficient interconnectivity for the Internet in Singapore by being a central point of traffic exchange. It will also seek to improve connectivity to Singapore by attracting regional and international carriers to use Singapore as a media hub for Internet traffic. Additionally, SGIX aims to increase content hosting by encouraging content providers to host their content in Singapore and hence encourage the growth of data centres.
Benefits
SGIX is expected to deliver benefits on several fronts:
- For local retail service providers
- Reduces operating costs as there is no need to establish multiple links to exchange traffic amongst themselves;
- Enhances their delivery of the broadband services by reducing latency.
- For international and regional service providers
- Extensive global connectivity;
- Effective exchange of international traffic.
- For content providers
- Enables content providers to reach out to local and regional users efficiently.
.webp)